By the Sea

An American couple, Vanessa and Roland, arrive at a seaside hotel in 1960s France to enjoy a vacation and seek inspiration for Roland's next book. They are strained and distant; Vanessa mourns an unknown loss while Roland grapples with writer's block.

Roland spends his days drinking at a local bar, where he befriends the manager Michel. His writer's block persists, and the casual friendship offers only fleeting distraction. The dynamic hints at undercurrents that will test the couple.

Vanessa, grieving and withdrawn, notices a hole in a radiator pipe that opens into the next apartment. Through it she begins to spy on Lea and Francois, whose life becomes a mirror for the couple's own fragility. The spying marks the start of the central tension.

Vanessa reaches out and becomes friendly with Lea, and the two couples slowly form a social circle. Vanessa's growing connection with Lea deepens the intertwining of their lives in the hotel. The friendship also sets the stage for the voyeuristic dynamic.

They all go sailing together, sharing a day at sea that cements their social ties. The experience normalizes the group’s interaction and blurs boundaries between the couples.

One night, they deliberately get Lea and Francois drunk so they can watch them through the spy hole. The act of observation becomes a catalyst for desire and betrayal, subtly eroding trust.

Watching the couple rekindles Vanessa and Roland's own sexual relationship, as the line between observation and participation becomes blurred. Their renewed closeness contrasts with the tensions already brewing beneath the surface. The dynamic exposes the root of their marital issues.

Vanessa makes a move on Francois in his hotel room, and Roland bursts in when he witnesses the affair. The confrontation fractures the night and crystallizes the couple's fragility and Vanessa's desperation.

Back in their own room, a heated confrontation reveals that Vanessa has miscarried multiple times, explaining much of her emotional distance and fear of losing control. The revelation reframes the earlier jealousy and neediness as responses to deep grief.

Lea and Francois decide to leave the hotel after Francois confesses his infidelity to Lea. The departure marks a turning point as the couple contends with the consequences of their own choices.

Roland goes after Lea and Francois to explain Vanessa's behavior, revealing the pressure and pain that shaped her. Lea reveals she is pregnant, which complicates the situation but also raises the stakes for reconciliation.

Vanessa appears to find a measure of peace, and Roland finally finishes his book, telling Vanessa that it is about her. The couple leaves the hotel with a renewed sense of hope for their life together.